Best Public Policy Schools Near Cookeville, TN (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Cookeville, Tennessee has 3 accredited schools offering public policy programs. Cookeville has a population of about 35,544. Median household income is $48,501 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $117,650 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Cookeville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy programs near Cookeville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cookeville city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Cookeville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 72.1 miles from Cookeville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN 73.5 miles from Cookeville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,730
Avg net price $15,796/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN 89.6 miles from Cookeville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,249
Avg net price $18,976/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 143

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee public policy page.

Public Policy Wages Near Cookeville

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Management Analysts $99,260
Economists $117,650
Social and Community Service Managers $88,240
Survey Researchers $66,900
Compliance Officers $63,960
General and Operations Managers $106,970
Financial and Investment Analysts $92,990

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Cookeville at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 35,544 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,501 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Cookeville-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Cookeville, TN?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Cookeville. The closest is Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN (72.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (89.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in Tennessee are: Economists ($117,650), General and Operations Managers ($106,970), Management Analysts ($99,260). Wages for Cookeville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Cookeville?

Lebanon, TN is 46.7 miles from Cookeville and has its own set of local public policy programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Cookeville an affordable place to study public policy?

Cookeville’s median household income of $48,501 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cookeville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Cookeville

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Cookeville:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Public Policy Schools in Tennessee (2026)